Thrashing machine



Feb. 3, 1931. -1 E HlLL n 1,790,663

THRASHING MACHINE Filed Nov.l 29, 1927 Mwf@ 'A tra STATE-s JAMES E. HILL,

PATE ort-real on PEORIA, ILLINoIs, AssIGNon To Avenir POWER MACHINERYC., F PEORIA, ILLINoIs, A GORPORATIQN oF `ILLINOIS THRASHIN G MACHINE AppIication led November 29, 1927. Serial No. 236,508.

The present invention relates to improvements in thrashing machines, and particularly to means located adjacent the thrashing cylinder for' assisting in separating the grain and straw.

Various forms of beaters have beenv heretofore provided for this general purpose, but' the present improvementshave been found to be more eiiective and'ecient in operation 0 thanthe constructions heretofore proposed.

Infthe accompanying drawing Figure l is a longitudinal section through a portion of a thrashing'mechanism embodying 'the present improvements. Y

5 Figure: 2 is a plan viewof the improved rotary beater, detached, and 4 Figure 3 is a view of a slightv modication.

l Referring to the drawing, in the several figures of which corresponding parts are deso ignated bythe same 'reference characters, l

designates the thrashing cylinder and 2 the concave commonly associated with such a cylinder. These parts may be ofany type or form, and it rshould be understood that although I have chosen to illustratethem as respectively provided with teeth 3, 4, that is not' essential. A suitable grate is arranged beneath and behind the thrashing cylinder rearward of the concave 2, and in the illuslc trated construction'this cylinder grate is shown as consisting of twoY sect-ions, the for ward one, 5, of which has its bars extending substantiallyr parallel tothe axis of the cylinder while therear grate section 6 has its barsv or rods extending transversely of the length of the cylinder axis. This construction also is not essential to my invention, as any other form of cylinder grate suitable for use'with my improved beater may beused.

The straw passing over the rear edgejof Vthe grate section 6 is delivered onto the forward endportion of a straw rack 8,-which Vmay be of ordinary construction, and .is preferably, thou-gh not necessarily, provided with a grate 7 that extends over the forward portion thereof. In passing over the cylinder grate 6,'and on` to and over the forward portion of 'the straw rack. the straw is subjected to the action of the rotary beater which is the particular subject of the present inveni tion. Y

As shown, this beater consists, of a plurality of longitudinally disposed wingsllG,

vmounted on a common central shaft 1l, and connected at their ends to headfplates l2.

To each of the wings l0 of the, beater'are attached a pluralityof members 14 spaced` apart, in the form-of separate blades or paddles, which project beyond the'outer edge-of thewing' and act to exert a pulling action 'upon the straw passing' over the rear end of the cylinder grate Sand-onto the front-vend of the 'straw rack 8. By this action, the beater` stripsthe straw from the cylinder 3' and rac'lr 6 and thel straw is prevented from winding around the thrashing cylinder. f This beater, in addition to stripping the straw from cyl- The rotary beater acts to beat the stra-wY downwardA onto rack 7 and to; then thoroughly comb and agitate this straw, thus sepaiating additional grain fromthe straw. ToV y render this operation even more effective, the f blades or paddles on the wings of the beater are positioned diagonally with respect to the axis ofthe shaft 11'- and in such mannerythat they not only act tompress the straw toward the racl'r S'andfto comb it, thus separating the grain, as described, but also sprea'dffitV laterally over the rack from the center -to-V ward both sides thereof, thusproviding for, a maximumamount of separation. This operation will beclearfrom Figures l and '2.

From Figure 1 itis clear that the blades 14 pass. close to the grate 7.and will penetrate the straw.l upon this grateso asto thoroughly comb and agitatesuchstraw and spread `it toward both sides of the rack in the manner stated. This spreading kof the straw toward both'sid'es of the rack, vand'while it is upon' the rack, is an important feature of my invention. In thrashing machines, one of the greatest dfc-ultesfenccuntererl is that vof ob.

las i taining uniform distribution of the straw blanket over the straw rack. ln thrashing machines using beaters of what may be conportion of the rack land the side portions of the rack are not utilized for separating the grain kernels from the straw. YThis is due, probably, to the" impossibility of obtaining uniform distribution of feed of grain to the cylinder. This is a recognized evil in thrashingl machines of ordinary type and one which has been accepted as unavoidable. Attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by providing V-sliaped wings Von the beater, these wings serving to split the straw stream centrally thereof.' j The great objection to this is that the straw is crowded toward the. sides of the rack Vso that a heavy straw blanket passes over the rack at each side thereof only, and the central portion of the rack is not -utilized for separating the kernels from the straw. This arrangement is even more objectionable than the difficulty encountered in using` beaters of ordinary type andy in whichV thestraw blanket passes over the central pord 1 tion of the rack, the side portions of the rackV not being` utilized. Obviously, it is highly desirable that the entire width ofthe rack be utilized for separating the kernels fromA the straw. To obtain this result it is necessary 4that the straw be distributed uniformly throughout' the entire width of the rack so as to be disposed in a thin blanket extending entirely across the rack, this blanket beingl thor oughly agitatedv and worked by the rack so asto permit ready passage ofthe grain ker- `nels through the straw.` This result l obtain b arovidin 4a beater which not onl erforms -all ofthe functions of the beater of ordinary construction. but also acts to thoroughly comb and agitato the straw at the Y forward end of the rack and also acte to disportion of the rack is overloaded with'otlier portions thereof bare; as in thrashers ein- "ployingrbeaters" of ordinary type and associated with Athe cylinder. and rack in the ordinary manner.

As shown, each of the blades or paddles le is formed by a suitable instal plate havingat its inner end an ear l5 which is riveted or otherwise Ysuitably.secured to the wing' l0 of Athe beater, andthe bodylll ofithe blade or edge of the ,beater wing.

In the embodiment of the-invention illuspaddle extendsoutward b'eyond'the outer trated in Figiire', the blades or paddles at'- tached'toY each wing` .are arranged iii two `groups, the members of each'group being opn greatly improvedseparation and nov positely inclined from al point midway in the. length of the beater toward both ends. The nun'iber of blades or paddles on each wing of the beater will depend upon the size of the machine.

linstead of arranging the blades paddles on each beater wing; iiiftwo roinas,l as described, all of those on one wing may be inclined in the same direction, and so arranged that the'blades orpaddles on alternate wings will be similarly inclined. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fioure 3. Vlith either D n arrangement it-'is evident that my improved construction provides a series of rightA and allel tothe action of rotation and from the improvements will be readily ,understoodand' appreciated from the foregoing description in connection with the drawing.. I

lt will be seentliat by my improvements valmost complete separation of grain and straw is effected adj acent the inlet or forward .end of the thrashing machine, the'blades or paddles on tlierotary beater acting to strip.

the straw from the cylinder andthe cylinder ltirate and to conib and agitatejthe strawat the forward end of the strawrack, and also to spread it laterally onthe yrack 8 to effectively'thin the straw and separate the grain more 4readily therefrom. In thrashing niachines employing; beaters of.v ordinary type and associated with the rack and thel cylinder in the usual manner, the beater performs at most three functions. lt strips the rstraw frein the cylinder Atoprevent winding andV carrying over of grain, stops" or retards the flying; grain and straw piojected'from the cylinden and beats the strawv down onto the` rack. rElio beater of my invention, associated with the cylinder andthe rackin` the novel mannerillustrated, performs ve functions.

lt strips the straw from thecylinder, stops Ythe flying grain A.and straw, beats the straw down onto the rack, thoroughly agitates and combs the ystraw upon the rack at a plurality toward Aboth sides thereof; lt iste be' noted that the blades penetrate the straw upon the grate '.7. beneath the'beater ataY pluralityof points spaced apart transversely ofthe rack, these blades acting' to thoroughly agita-te and comb the straw upon the grate. l'lhisis high- `ly important, as theA greatest amount possible lin w: im

of pointsland spreads the strawl upon the rack of the kernels should be separated from the straw adjacent the cylinder, yto assureeiitl Y meogeee oieiicy in'sepai'ation and reduce 'loss-of grain in the straw discharged fro'nthe stack. This Y thorough' agitation and combing of the straw .upon the rack permits a large portion-ofthe grain kernels to pass through the grate 7 and vsent to the grain pan. ln addition to combing .and agitating the straw on the grate 7, the blades le, due to'tlieir relative disposition, act to spread ythe straw toward both sides of the rack so as to distribute it uniformly throughout the 4entirewidtli thereof. ln this connection, it is pointed out that rby'eniploying a plurality of blades projecting beyond the edgesof the :respective wings oi' ythe beater, the straw is distributed Vtoward'both sides of the rack without any splitting of the fst/raw stream lin such vine-.iiner as to 'leave thecentral ,portion of the rack bare. A further advanft-age :is that the straw is spread by the blades vwhile it Yis upon Athe forward endoiI the rack, that is, upon the grate 7., and the lblades act positively upon the-straw so as to assure unilorin spread 4or distribution thereof. `This spreading of the straw, in this manner, when upon tlie rack, l believe to be 'broadly new. By employing va beater of the construction illustrated and described, and relating this beater to the straw `rack and the cylinder in the manner disclosed, I render it possible to utilize the entire width ofthe raclr for separating '.purposes and produce a novel combination in which the beater performs all of' the functions ordinarily .performed by beaters in thrashing niacliines,.and also performs the additional functions of thoroughly combing and agitating the straw upon the grate 7 while also-'distributing the straw uniformly Vthroughout the entire widthof the raclr. So

far ras l ain aware; this is broadly new in this art. c

It is to be understood that there mayl be :variation in the detailsvillustrated without departing troni the invention, and that ere cept where Vspecifically includedin'the appended claims the vinvention isV not to'be un` u n embodiment'thereof.

lWhat I rclaim as iny invention and secure by Letters Patent is derstood as beine: limited to the illustrated desire to l'. ln combination in a thrashing inacnine a' cylinder, a concave, a straw rack, and a beater `disposed vadjacent and substantially parallel to the' cylinder, said beate-r comprising a plurality of beater wings and blades projecting beyond Vthe outer edges of the wings an d disposed and adaptedvto co'nib the straw and spread it laterallyptoward both.

sides of the rack.

2. In combination in a thrashing niachine a cylinder, a concave, a straw racl, and a beater disposed adjacentfand' substantially parallel to the cylinder, said beaterfc'oinprisingv a plurality Vof beater wings Vand blades projecting beyond theb'uter edges 'of the wings, certain of theblades being inclined tor Y 3. ln combinationin'a'thrashing machine,

cylinder, a concave, a straw rack, and'` a beater 'iii rear of the cylinder and above the rack, saidbeater'having blades projecting substantially radially therefrom and arranged in series extending `lengthwise"ofthe beater, the blades of each vseries being disposed in two groups and the blades of one group being inclined towardone Vend oi' the beater and theblades ofthe othergrou-p being inclined toward the other end of the beater.

l. A `beater forthrashing machines, comprising a plurality of substantially radial beating wings, and combing and spreading blades projecting beyond. the outer edges of the' wings, certain of said `blades `being inclined toward one end of the beater and other blades being inclined toward the other en'dio'f thebeater. i

5. A beater for thrashing machinespcompris-ing a plurality-of substantially radial `beating wings, and coinbingand 4spreading blades secured to thewings `andprojecting be yond ther'outer edges thereof, certain of. saidy blades being inclined toward one end of the beater an-d other blades being inclined towardarranged in twov groups, the blades of v4one group being inclined toward the adj ac'entend of t'lie beater and the blades of the other group being inclined Y.toward the other end of Vthe beater.V

prisingjfa plurality of'substaiitially radial beating wings,xand combing and spreading blades projecting beyondV the outer 'edges oft the wings, and disposed in series lengthwise of the beater, each series of blades being-'ai'- ranged in twofgro'upsj'the blades of one group relation to the blades or' the next succeeding series. Y

k8. In a thrashing machine, in combination, a cylinder and concave, a straw rack, and a beater above the rack` and adj aceiit the cylinder,v said beater having a plurality of win-gs and'A a plurality'of blades projecting there from, the beater being so Vdisposed and the blades being" so related that the blades strip the straw from the cylinder and also 'enter the straw 'upon' thev rack beneathlthe beater andl over the rack toward both sides tl'iereot'.`

7. A beater `for 'thrashing machines, coin- .9. In a thrashing machine, in combination, `a cylinder and concave, a straw rack, and

. beater means above and adjacent the raclr and also adjacent the cylinder, said means having a plurality of wings and blades projecting therefrom and being disposed and adapted to. strip the straw from the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the rack at a plurality of points spaced apart transversely thereof and'to comb the straw upon theiack and .spread it toward both sides of the racli.

10. In a thrashing machine, in combination, a cylinder and concave, a straw rack,y

tion, a cylinderY and concave, a straw rack,

anda beater above the rack and adjacent the cylinder, said ybeater comprising wingV niembers substantially parallel to Athe beater axis and a plurality of blades projecting outwardly beyond the wing members and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, said blades being disposed to strip the straw from the. cylinder and to enter the straw upon the rack beneath the beater so as to comb such straw at a plurality of points and thoroughly agitate it, j

the Vblades being also disposed to spread the straw upon the. rack toward both sides thereof. y

T12. Ina thrashing machine,-in conibination, a cylinder and concave, a strawrraclr, and a beater above therack and disposed in the path of materials discharged from the cylinder and concave, vsaid beater comprising wing members disposed lenghtwise thereof and a plurality of blades projecting outwardly beyond the wing members and spaced Vapart lengthwise thereof, said blades being disposed to strip the straw from the cylinder' and to enter the straw upon Vthe'rackbeneath Ythe beater at a plurality ofV points spaced apart transversely of the rack.

'13. In a thrashing machine, in combination, a cylinder and concave, a straw rack, 'and abeater above the rack and disposed in the path ofmaterials discharged from thejcylinder and concave, said 'beater comprising wing members disposed lengthwise thereof and a plurality of blades projecting outwardly vbeyond the wing members and spaced Vapart lengthwise thereof, Asaid blades being disposed lto strip the straw from the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the rack beneath the'beater at a plurality of'points spaced apart transfy versely ofthe rack, the blades being also disposed to spread the straw upon the/rack towardboth sides thereof. v

14. In a thrashing machine, in comb-ina- V'ing wing members substantially parallel to the axis of the beater anda plurality of blades projecting outwardly beyond the wing members and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, said blades being disposed to strip the straw from the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the rack beneath the beater at a plurality of points spaced apart transversely of the rack so as to thoroughly comb and agitate such straw. Y

15, In a thrashing machine, incombination, a. cylinder and concave, a straw rack, and a beater above the rack and adjacent and parallel to the cylinder, said beatercomprising wing members substantially parallel to the axis of the beater and a plurality of blades projecting outwardly beyond the wing members and spaced apart .lengthwise thereof,A

said blades beingdispo'sed to strip the .straw from the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the raclr beneath the'beater at a plurality of points spaced apart transversely of the rack sov as to thoroughly comb and agitateV such straw, said blades being also disposed to spread' the strawiupon the rack toward'both sides thereof. Y

16. Ina'thrashing machine, in combination, avcylinder and concave, a straw rack', and

a beater above the rack and acent and parallel to the cylinder, said beater compris ing straight wing members parallel to the- Vairis of the beater .and a plurality of blades projecting outwardly beyond the wing members and `spaced apart lengthwisey thereof, said blades being disposed to vstrip the straw from the cylinder and to enter the straw upon theV rack beneath the beater and .to exert a combing action upon such straw and spreadl it toward both sides of the rack. v

17. In athrashing machine, in combination, acylinder andconcave, a straw rack, and a beater above the rack and adj acentY and par` allel to the cylinder, said beater comprising straight wing members parallel :to the axis of the beater and aseries of blades associated with and projecting outwardly beyond'the respective wing members, certain of saidblades f being inclined toward one end of the Abeater `and certain other bladesfbeingy inclined to,- yward the other end: of the beater, said beater Vv.being so disposed that-the blades strip the cylinder and enter the straw upon'the rack beneath the beater. Y Y Y I 1 18. `In a thrashing machine, in combination, a cylinder and concave, astraw rack, a` grate at the Akforward end of the raclnand a. beaterV above'the grate and adjacent and parallel vto.

the cylinder, said beater` comprising wing members extending lengthwise thereof and a Y i.

plurality of blades projecting outwardly be# yond the wing members and spaced apart Y lengthwise thereof, said blades being disposed to strip the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the grate at a plurality of points spaced lengthwise thereof, said blades being disposed to strip the cylinder and to enter the straw upon the grate at a plurality of points spaced apart transversely of the rack and to thoroughly comb and agitate such straw, said blades being also disposed to spread the straw upon the grate toward both sides of the rack.

20. In combination in a thrashing machine, a cylinder, a concave, a straw rack, and a beater in rear of thecylinder and above the rack, said beater having means acting to strip the cylinder and to comb and agitate the straw upon the rack and spread it from the center toward both sides of the rack, comprising a plurality of outwardly extending inclined blades secured to the beater at intervals lengthwise and circumferentially thereof in the form of groups, the blades of the groups adjacent one end of the beater being inclined toward such end, and the blades of the groups adjacent the other end of the beater being inclined toward the latter end thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES E. I-IILL. 

